The event examined the opportunities and challenges facing women in the maritime world.
ITF women transport workers’ coordinator Alison McGarry was among the speakers, and explained the successes and lessons of the ITF’s women’s maritime leadership programme. She told the audience: “A leadership programme developed specifically for women members can do more than provide them with the skills and tools necessary to lead within the affiliate unions of the ITF. Building women’s leadership is crucial for the strength of global unions … The strongest unions will have women involved at all levels of their organisations.”
She continued: “The ITF women’s leadership programme – leading change – prepares women activists to meet the challenge of dynamic leadership within their unions and global society. Elected and emerging women leaders have the opportunity to develop their leadership strengths and identify ways to make their unions stronger. Leading change, developed in concert with the Harvard Trade Union Program, seeks to enable participants to plan strategic change to lead ITF affiliates, to strengthen the international trade union movement and to advance the cause of women workers across the globe.”
To find out more about the ITF’s women’s leadership programme, visit
